Creative writing is deep, mysterious play. It’s where you can let yourself come undone.

Letting go can be uncomfortable. But it’s where the magic happens: in the trust fall of words.

Learn how to override the fear that keeps you from letting go.

Welcome to Writing Practice: a six-week, self-guided course that uses audio prompts and a writing forum to open you up, ground your writing, and connect you to an active writing community.

Sign up for my letters to find out when the next session will be offered.

What are Writing Practice Sessions?

This program is like a yoga, meditation, or exercise class for your writing. It warms up your writing "muscles" with a weekly 60-minute session of writing practice and a classroom discussion forum.

It gets you in the state of mind where you are readily receiving images, scenes, and dialogue without having to force anything.

Writing practice is the foundation of a productive writing life.

All you have to do is show up.

Scroll down to read more about how this program works.

"Being led through the guided prompts and not having to keep time were very freeing. Loved the order of the exercises, the reliability of the pattern to allow loosening up with lists and images and moving into scenes and character. So amazing."

— Cindy Lipton

How it works:

Once a week, you log in to the Writing Practice online classroom.

All you need is a notebook or paper, a few fast-writing pens, and a comfortable and quiet place to sit.

As soon as you press “play” on the audio component of the week’s session, I will guide you through a 60-minute recorded session of writing prompts and exercises.

The exercises are simple, beautiful, unexpected: all writers are welcome, regardless of genre or experience.

Once you’ve completed the week’s writing practice, you’re ready to join your fellow writers in the Writing Practice forum.

There, you can share your work and discuss the week’s exercises. Since the course is self-guided, it is likely there will often be someone working through the same exercises as you.

Something happens to creative energy when people do it together. Energy expands!

Dates:

The six writing practice sessions are designed to be completed once a week, but the timing is ultimately up to you. If you pace it out over a longer period of time, or want to do one session a day every day for six days — that’s your choice. This is your practice.

All I want is for you to feel open and unstuck, and remember how much you love writing.

Accessibility Note: Transcripts are available for the audio lessons in this course

Take a peek inside one of the sessions:

What other people are saying:

"Although I feel in my heart and soul I am a writer, I'm a writer who sabotages consistent writing. Signing up for Sarah's program enabled me to stoke the creative fire in a safe, comforting way and encouraged me to trust my inner voice. I've learned that even the smallest of details, when given the opportunity to unfold on paper, can be profound."

— Laura Gates

"I found the writing prompts a lot of fun. This is my first time doing anything like this. By the third week, I was extremely comfortable with the session format."

— Brenda Rech

"I loved this and it has helped me stay in touch with my writing practice. Thank you."

— Leinaala Mitchell

"It was so nice to set aside time and have Sarah's voice to guide me through the exercises and to have her excitement come through. It's a real boost for a solitary activity."

— Kate Peterson

"I am a freelance writer and lead creative writing workshops, but Sarah's Writing Practice sessions gave me the chance to do something that I rarely do—slow down and make time in my day to focus on my own writing. Each week, I came away from the sessions with renewed energy and determination to turn the results of these writing prompts into stories that I want to tell."

— Gloria Ballard